New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-12-21
PRICE THREE CENTS
DISASTER JUST AVERTED.
AN ELEVATED TRAIN OFF THE TRACK.
1T srors JUST At THE EDGE or TIE STRUCTURE


Al STOPS just At THE EDGE OF THE sTRUcTURE-s
PANIC ANONG H" PasSrNGrRs
Inc eloquent eulogies pronounced upon the safos
" Oh the elevated railway system at the Murray
hih 'iooei meeting Of the wealthy West Side pro.
noCer oi RAPID transit on Monday evening came
WITHIN an ace Of being rcfutcd within few hours
OF their delivery. A little after . n m vestcrdav
an uptown train on the Sixth-ave road. well
hlled with passengers. ran off the trac. as IL WAC
approaching the Franklin-st station. lust before
reaching Lconard-st In an instant the widest
confusion prevailed People who happened to DO
IN West broadway under the train fed in all
directions. utterng panic-stricken cries Drivers
or trucks and other vehicles near the scene of
the accident lashcd their horses and drove furious
iy out OF supposed danger. The noise made by
crashing Ties and timbcrs As they were torn
from the roadbed could be heard blocks away.
READY To- JUMP FnOM THE CARS
Many OF the passengers believing that the top
ping cars were about to tumble into the street.
forced open the windows protrudcd their
heads' and uttered piercing screams for help
lhcir Ifahtlc cries were answered and re-echoed
py thoSe waiting for trains at the Franlxlin-st
statons who were in full view of the APPALLING
sight, and by people in the neighborng houses
who had been attracted to the windows Guam
Titles of debris falling from the track to the pave
mcnts below addcd 10 the excitement Then an
ambulance from the Chambcrsst IIospital came
up at full speed TO pick up the dead and wounded
AS the train had already begun to slow up in
preparation Tor the stop at the station when the
accdent occurred. otherwise what turned out to
nc a bloodcss fright might have been of the
most serious character. Had it been moving
with ordinary speed some Of the cars at least.
would have been forced over the protecting tim
bcrs and have gone down into the street with
tn most frightfu consequences
The engine which did not leave the track.
was stopped Just before it reached the lower
end Of the east platform Of the Frnl<lin-st.
station. AT the moment four cars were off the
track and uncomfortably near the edge Of the
railway structure. The passengers hurriedIy left
the train. and walking along the footpath between
the tracks. used by the employees. reached tho
station, glad to escape what moment before
seemed certa to be great disaster few
sustained insignificant INJURIES and all were bad
~ shaken uT while the were being joted
over the crosS-tes. but nobody was enough hurt
to require the services of a physician.
HOW TIE Affair HAPPENED.
The accident. it appears. was caused by the
carceSsncss of wOrkmen employed in putting IN
the machinery ;or a new switch While at this
work they had the switch open. and the train
coming upon them unexpected'y they hastily
1t IN the right position. The switch was de-
mollshed and its remains together with large
amount Of broken timber and ties. Law last even
ing on the Frankln-st. platform. the only re-
naming evidences Of the trouble. except the debris
Whcn Uttered the corner Of Lconarl-st and West
broadway below the spot where the smash took
place.
Officials Of the road said last evening that the
cars were believed 10 be uniniurcd. but had been
taken to the ward for examination.
Travel on the uptown track was DELAYED for
nearly an hour.
DUMMY ENGINE RUNS INTO HORSE CAR
As dummy engine No. 10 Of tie Hudson River Rail
road va" Drawing train of empty freight cars up
"cst-st, near ChristOphersf.. few minutes before
placed switch and started the tracks toward tho
Nhite star Limo pier. At the same moment a soutb-
bound car On tho elt Line Jumped the switch and
swung over against the freight next TO the dummy
Tho street car was wrecked by rho collision A chorus
~ Shreks rose from the passengers as spntrrs of tho
wooden frame work and frasmons OF glass fell uuOn
them. and thrN wcrc hrwn i"fo conf sed heap at the
Grocn-ave, Brooklyn who standing On the plat
form. was pitched Of the pavement and his leg was
broken Mrs Dpvale. OF No 23I Vest One hu nd and
twenty seventh VI. had her face A man In tho
car who did not want 10 tell his name had a finger
smashed The other passengers escaped with slight
bruSeS. The driver of the iIcl ~ Wcisrnbach
was hurt In the groin He lmp'd TO a nelhb0rlng
Mr. WooHford TAX tho Charlcsst rolice stqtior
In carriage and later sent to St. Vintcns Hos
pGaL Ms lGTaleS Injuries dressed BY ar
ambulance SUI tron an she If c'werd went home.